Drum Choreographers (NDP 09)

- Syed Ahmad - Dennis Sim - Riduan Zalani -

Dennis Sim

Dennis Sim began his musical career more than decades ago in the most appropriate and natural place - his very own alma mata Yuhua Secondary School.

Then, Dennis was already deeply involved with many leadership roles in the school band firstly as a percussion sectional leader and thereafter to the band leader and in his final years in the school, he was the band advisor.

His dedication and passion for the YHSS Concert Band never dwindled but it continued far beyond his schooling days and even after his tertiary education. He has also taken over the baton, conducting several public performances himself. At the same time, Dennis is also pioneering and leading the steeldrum ensemble consisting of ex-Yuhua band members. He is also a member of the Band Directors Association and World Association for Symphonic Bands and Ensembles in Singapore.

Now, Dennis is also a freelance musician and a percussion instructor who has conducted several percussion workshops in schools, which included 15th Annual Combine Camp Music Elective Programme at Anglo-Chinese School (Independent), an ensemble clinic at Singapore American School, drumset workshop in National Youth Percussion Festival at National Institute of Education and Team Building workshop for Corporate Motorala.

His experience and achievements is not only localized but have extended outside the Singapore music scene. Together with the Singapore Winds Symphony, he has achieved excellent commendations at the World Music Contest in Netherlands in 1993. He was the leader of the percussion section in SWS. Recently with The Philharmonic Wind, he was being the first Singapore Wind band to won the First Prize with Distinction in the First Division at the World Music Contest in Netherlands in 2005. At the same time, he and Singapore Wind Symphony Percussion Ensemble was awarded a Silver Medal in the Concert Division at the World Music Contest in Netherlands.

Dennis is also actively playing for gigs, which included performance in Shangri-La, Sentosa Musical Fountain, The Esplanade, Embassy and the Muzika Ekstravaganza 2005 which represent Mediacorp to performance with the Malaysia Artist in Penang, Chingay 2004, International Olympic Committee held in 2006 and SAP Hong Kong in 2007.

Dennis is currently a Music Director in Mus’Art Percussion Ensemble and a Percussion Instructor in Nanyang Polytechnic Percussion Ensemble.